Further Reading

Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Swine Flu Virus Antigen Sticking to Walls of Pre-Fill Syringes

'The doses were included in pre-filled syringes meant for children ages 6 months to 35 months. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the doses were made by Sanofi Pasteur and distributed mainly in November. "There are no safety concerns with these lots of H1N1 vaccine," said Megan Davies, an epidemiologist with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. “The concern is that the recalled vaccine may not be strong enough to provide full immunity. However, children in this age group should have adequate protection because we already recommend that they receive two doses of the vaccine." Experts have a theory that the problem is specific to the children's pre-filled syringes. For some reason, the antigen -- the key vaccine ingredient -- may be sticking to the walls of those syringes, said Dr. Jesse Goodman, the deputy commissioner for science and public health for the Food and Drug Administration. (Read more...)